Skip to Content

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent (for Pennies!)

Make this easy (and budget friendly) homemade laundry detergent recipe – it’s liquid! No chemicals, dyes, or additives and it’s perfect for sensitive skin.

Skills Required: None. This is unbelievably simple to make. You’ll be boiling water, cutting soap, and mixing everything together.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent (Costs Pennies!)

It’s summer in Georgia, which means that it’s really hot. This also means that sometimes you take a shower in the morning, walk outside, and have to take another shower.

Laundry is copious during our summers, and laundry soap is used frequently. To keep from breaking the bank, I’ve developed a DIY laundry detergent recipe you can use AND you’ll love.

The best news ever: it’s liquid! So no chunky powder in the machine (which ends up undissolved on my clothing sometimes).

Homemade laundry detergent in two mason jars

There are many benefits of homemade laundry detergent: none of the chemicals, fragrances, dyes, or additives that you’ll find in most name brands . . . so this recipe is perfect for sensitive skin.

If you do want to add scent, pop in a few drops of your favorite essential oils.

DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent

It does clean your clothing well and it does work in HE machines. It is low-suds by nature, which is the issue with HE machines and specific soaps.

Though I will offer this disclaimer: you should be home when you first use this homemade detergent just to make sure all goes well. I can’t speak for every single washing machine ever created . . . having said that, I haven’t heard of any problems with it yet!

Here’s how to make this delightful recipe.

Arm & Hammer laundry booster super washing soda, 20 Mule team Borax, Kirk's original castile soap, and an empty mason jar

Ingredients:

Other Materials:

  • Large measuring cup
  • Spoon
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • 2 glass mason jars, at least 16 ounces each

How to make homemade liquid laundry detergent:

Bar of castile soap cut into pieces with a knife

Optional: microwave a bar of soap in five second increments for a total of 20 seconds. After each five seconds, flip bar of soap onto the other side. This softens the soap so cutting it is easier!

Using a sharp knife, cut soap into small pieces, about 1/4″ in size until you have 3 tablespoons. My tablespoons were heaping.

Chunks of castile soap being added to a container of boiling water

Boil 4 cups of water and add soap to the water. Stir until soap is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.

Borax being added to a container of hot water and castile soap

Add borax and washing soda and stir until completely dissolved.

Two mason jars with liquid laundry detergent in them with the lids off on a wood background

Pour your homemade liquid laundry detergent into mason jars and add lid and ring. Use caution because mixture is very hot. Set aside to cool and the jar will actually seal.

20 Mule team borax, laundry booster, Kirk's castile soap, and liquid laundry detergent in mason jars

To use your homemade laundry detergent: pour 1/4 cup into your washing machine’s liquid dispenser. Launder as usual.

You just made detergent for 16 loads – for only $.55!!! (prices calculated by what I paid for my ingredients and could vary slightly).

diy liquid laundry detergent in mason jars

Note: One bar of soap will make about 3 – 4 batches.

Yield: 16 loads

Liquid Laundry Detergent

Make this easy (and budget friendly) homemade laundry detergent recipe - it's liquid! No chemicals, dyes, or additives and it's perfect for sensitive skin.

Learn how to make DIY liquid laundry detergent the easy way - no chemicals, cheap, effective!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $.55

Materials

  • 3 Tablespoons Borax
  • 3 Tablespoons Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
  • 3 Tablespoons Kirk's Castile Soap
  • 4 cups boiling water

Tools

  • Large measuring cup
  • Spoon
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • 2 glass mason jars, at least 16-ounces each

Instructions

  1. Open the soap and microwave in five second increments for a total of 20 seconds. After each five seconds, flip bar of soap onto the other side.
  2. Using a sharp knife, cut soap into small pieces, about 1/4" in size until you have 3 tablespoons.
  3. Boil 4 cups of water and add soap to the water. Stir until soap is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add borax and washing soda and stir until completely dissolved.
  5. Pour your homemade laundry detergent into mason jars and add lid and ring.
  6. To use your detergent: pour 1/4 cup into your washing machine's liquid dispenser. Launder as usual.

Notes

Use caution when handling your hot mixture.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a rating or share a photo on Pinterest!


Have fun making this DIY laundry detergent recipe! If you are looking for supplies, this is a great way to purchase the borax and super washing soda and soap together at a discount.

If you enjoyed this homemade laundry detergent, I’d love for you to check out these other handy dandy home related posts:

Taylor

Wednesday 29th of March 2023

My soap layered out and even solidified a bit after a week, anything I did wrong?

Ben

Saturday 3rd of June 2023

@Amy, my mixture gelled once cooled. I used a handheld mixer to liquify it.

Shelley Otto

Friday 14th of April 2023

@Taylor, I used the Zote flakes and it did the same thing for me. I’ve mixed it up and it’s more of a gel than a liquid but it works well for me. I add it to the drum instead of using the dispenser.

Amy

Wednesday 29th of March 2023

Hmmm I haven't heard of or experienced that yet. Was it kept in a hot or cold place and did you use the exact same ingredients that I did? I'm thinking you could microwave it if it's in a glass jar.

Jenny

Saturday 26th of November 2022

Is the 1/4 cup measurement for he or regular washers?

Amy

Monday 28th of November 2022

I use about that much in my HE washer!

Jenny

Sunday 16th of October 2022

Would feels naptha bar soap work?

Amy

Sunday 16th of October 2022

Yes! I have not tried it but I read elsewhere that it worked. Give it a try!

Elizabeth

Wednesday 27th of July 2022

Will zote soap work for this recipe? I already have a bar at the house and wanted to try this out.

Amy

Thursday 28th of July 2022

Hi Elizabeth! Did a little research and yes, supposedly it works! Please for me on the first batch, just do towels or something and make sure it works okay. Don't use nice clothing. Just because you never know :)

Fermina

Friday 26th of March 2021

Have you tried using a grater instead of all those steps to soften and chop?

Melanie Denise Kaufman

Saturday 10th of April 2021

@Amy, Do you have a recipe that,uses Dr.Bronners or.A bar of his soap?I love his products.

Amy

Friday 26th of March 2021

No but that's a great idea! Thank you for the suggestion!

Skip to Instructions